Summary

The Internet is a public outreach tool and integral part of developing research collaborations. Unfortunately, the Internet is inundated with pseudo-archaeology and treasure hunters discussing underwater cultural heritage. These websites turn up alongside professional websites in search engine results, making it difficult to locate reliable information. Traditionally, archaeologists have built websites independently of each other with the result of many professional websites having poor search engine optimization and ranking alongside non-professional websites.

This talk argues for the creation of a cohesive online voice for the field of maritime archaeology that would rank high in searches, but also increase the search engine ranking of websites linked to it. MaritimeArchaeology.com is a community-based website built through contributions by professionals. The site is designed to draw search engine hits and redirect Internet users to linked professional maritime archaeology websites including universities, contract firms, museums, and government agencies.